Brake for railway-cars



(No Model.)

J. W. VALIANT.

I BRAKE FOR RAILWAY (JARS.

No. 552,599. Patented Jan. 7, 18-96..

fi ek fo r Vang.

IAN DREW B GRAHAM. PHOIWUTNQWASHIN GTDVLIIQ UNITED STATES 7 PATENT Orricn.

JOSEPH WILLIAM VALIANT, BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

with

BRAKE FOR RAlLWAYeCARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 552,599, dated January 7, 1896.

Application filed April 12, 1895. Serial No. 545,445- (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH IVILLIAM VAL IANT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Baltimore, in the State of Marylanchhave invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Brakes for Railway-Cars, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to the class of car brakes illustrated in my application for patent filed January 11, 1895, Serial No. 534,528.

In the present invention a single ratchet and appropriate pawls connected to turn with the brake-staff and having a pawl-releasing device are used to operate the brake Without the intervention of the brake-detaining mechanism of that invention.

A further feature of this invention used in conjunction with that just named, in order to render it specially efficient with a minimum extent of rotation, is a drum or cylindrical enlargement on the bottom of the brake-stafi to which the brake-chain is fixed, the said drum or enlargement being of sufficient diameter to render necessary only about a half-turn of the brake-staff in order completely to effect the setting of the brake through the winding of the chain upon such drum.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating my invention, in the several views of which like parts are similarly designated, Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of part of the platform of a car with my invention applied. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation, the plane of section being indicated by the line 2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of Fig. 2, and Fig. d is a top plan view of the ratchet and its bracket.

a may represent the sill of a oar-platform,

' b the dash, c the top rail, and cl the post, all

as usual; e a lower bracket, and f the upper bracket, in which the brake-staff g has bearings. The bracket f has a sort of crownwheel ratchet h applied to or formed upon its face, for a purpose presently appearing. i is a brake-staff actuator-such as a crank-handle,

hand-wheel, or other usual or approved applianoe. This actuator is connected to turn and turn with the brake-staff in any suitable manner, as by a square joint. (See Fig. 3.) The actuator is supplied with a collar or fiangey, having a downwardlyprojecting lug 7c, in which grooves l are made, and in these grooves are reversely pivoted the dogs or pawls m, the

noses of which are normally depressed so as to engage the ratchet h by means of springs 71, which are arranged in sockets in the lug k, and collar 7'.

0 is a ring encircling the lug 7c and having its upward movement restrained by the collarj. This ring is suspended by rods 1) from a forked lever T, which is pivoted at s to the actuator in such manner as to be Within easy reach of the operators hand orhands when. on the actuator. The rods 19 extend through openings 25 therefor in the collar j. The tails of the dogs or pawls project into the path of movement of the ring, while their noses play within the inner diameter of the ring, so that by depressing the ring the dogs are disengaged from the ratchet, and the brake-staff is free to be turned by the brake-releasing mechanism while the operator has hold of the actuator.

In order to provide for the quick setting of the brake, I provide the lower end of the brake-staff with an enlargement or drum u, of suflicient diameter to wind up the chain by about a half-turn of the brake-staff and actuator.

In the setting of the brake the dogs slip over the ratchet as the actuator is rotated and rotate the brake-staff, and engage the said ratchet instantly the actuator comes to rest, thus holding on the brake until the ring at is depressed, so as to act upon the tails of the dogs and lift them from the ratchet.

I have shown two dogs or pawls, but do not limit my invention to the number employed.

By this combination and arrangement of mechanism the necessity for a separate brakestaif-detaining mechanism is obviated, and all of the actuating mechanism is arranged within easy reach of the hands of the operator.

As is obvious from the foregoing, the re lease of the brake is effected positively and gradually, the operator necessarily holding the handle to permit the turning of the shaft, and thereby is avoided the danger from a forcibly-revolved brake-handle. As is well understood, the motorman of electric roads has with one foot to control the brake-stafi retaining-pawl to hold the brake 011, to work the sand-box, ring the bell or gong, and work the wheel-guard. With my invention one, if not the most important of his functions, is transferred to his hands, thereby allowing greater freedom for his other functions.

hat I claim is- 1. A brake mechanism for cars comprising a brake-staff, an actuator adapted to turn such staff and turning with it, and including a collar or flange, spring dogs or pawls pivotally connected therewith, a ring arranged above the tails of such dogs or pawls, and means to disengage the dogs from a fixed ratchet, combined with such ratchet, substantially as de scribed.

2. A brake mechanism for cars, comprising a brake-staiii-and a brake-chain drum on its lower end, an actuator adapted to turn such staff and drum and turning with them, and including a collar or flange, spring dogs or pawls pivotally connected therewith, a ring suspended above the tails of such dogs or pawi's, and a lever from which the ring is suspended and by which it is operated to disengage the dogs or pawls from a fixed ratchet, combined with such ratchet, substantially as described.

3. A brake mechanism for cars, comprising a brakestaff, an actuator adapted to turn such staff and turning with it, and including a collar or flange, spring dogs or pawls pivotally connected therewith, a ring arranged above the tails of such dogs or pawls and means for operating the ring to disengage the dogs from. a fixed ratchet, combined with such ratchet and a bracket therefor attached to the top rail of a car dash, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 11th day of April, A. D. 1895.

J OSEPII \VIL'LIAM VALIANT. Vitnesses:

.TNo. P. CLAYTON, JAS. W. CLAYTON. 

